MARJAH, Afghanistan – Bombs and booby traps slowed the advance of thousands of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers moving Saturday through the Taliban-controlled town of Marjah — NATO’s most ambitious effort yet to break the militants’ grip over their southern heartland.
NATO said it hoped to secure the area in days, set up a local government and rush in development aid in a first test of the new U.S. strategy for turning the tide of the eight-year war. The offensive is the largest since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.
The Taliban appeared to have scattered in the face of overwhelming force, possibly waiting to regroup and stage attacks later to foil the alliance’s plan to stabilize the area and expand Afghan government control in the volatile south.
To the Marines, soldiers, coalition members, etc going into Marjah: Happy hunting. To the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and whoever else is over there itching for a fight: You may be disappointed to find out that those virgins mentioned in the Koran are supposed to be girls… rest in pieces, bitches.
SEOUL, South Korea – A badly damaged North 
